this problem is very uniquely dependent on how the person interacts with their environment. if they don't expose themselves to the agent at risk, to the alcohol or to the drug, they'll never develop the disorder. narrator: the fact that drugs are so prevalent in our society just increases the environmental risk of exposure. poverty and drugs seem to be partners. wherever there is a lull in the environment or the economy, it looks like drugs just come in-- the use of drugs, the ability-- drugs just come in. you can go to any community that is not of color, and it will take you blocks to find liquor stores. in our community, and this is mostly people of color-- i've seen this also in the california-- mexican-american, texas-- there's a liquor store on every corner. narrator: besides alcohol and tobacco-- both legal drugs-- what drugs are commonly abused? there are a wide variety of different types of compounds that are considered abused or addictive from the traditional hard drugs of abuse, heroin and cocaine, to more commonly used drugs, some of which are used medically for t